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The CS Cyberspace Open is a total SCAM!! Winners were to have been announced May 28 - last Friday... nothing. Nada. ZIP - AND they do not return emails or phone calls. My .02 - they simply used this to make some quick cash and collect emails for their database and will not be fulfilling their end of the agreement. DO NOT ENTER!!!

Nice first post.

Do you enter screenplay competitions very much?

Yes.

Nice smart-ass reply.

Oh, and just for you - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2YK7pADmWU

Few competitions announce on time.

People usually find me charming, so I'll re-phrase: Having grown accustomed to significant delays with even the most reputable of screenwriting contests (certainly above and beyond a week out from the deadline), I guess I find your topic title and vitriolic tone a tad over-the-top. Just my opinion, mind you.

And you'll find this a bit ironic, but I don't often post (compared to others) though you've certainly cured me of posting again any time soon. I realize sarcasm is often lost in translation when sent via email or online, but gee whiz.

But hey, you're batting two-for-two so far. Can't wait until you ask someone here for advice and don't like the response.

Mind you, the more I think about this, it's really kinda funny.

"Mind you, the more I think about this, it's really kinda funny. "

Yes.

It is.

Wow, just what we need. Another a****** on this board.

It's getting waaay too nasty here.

Unfortunately many contests announce late - that doesn't make the CS Open a scam. The CS contests (Expo, AAA) are notorious for this - adding on deadlines to make a few extra bucks, then announcing late. Bill Donovan refuses to listen to this complaint (among many others). And sometimes this is to the detriment of the writers, as when they only gave a week's notice to the top few to attend last year's Expo.

I don't get it at all. Most of these contests have taken place for years and it should be easy to guess. But it reminds me of one of the late (original) Star Trek movies where Scottie admits that he always said it would take longer to do something then he really expected it to take - explaining why he always got them out of danger just in time. If I ran a contest and thought the results would be ready on June 1st, I'd say June 15th and look like a hero when they're early.

But no, the CS Open is not a scam as far as I know.

"Bill Donovan refuses to listen to this complaint (among many others). "

Donovan's a d*ck. Has been for years. CS has gone way way way downhill...

and the valid competitions work to stick to their deadlines, so...

buyer beware.

methinks it is a scam. A Donoscam.

"It's getting waaay too nasty here."

If you can't stand the heat... wtf are you doing trying to be a screenwriter?

Sheesh.

Man up, girl.

I still don't think it's a scam, but I won't argue with you about Donovan!

"I still don't think it's a scam, but I won't argue with you about Donovan!"

hehehehhehe

Damn I love this website! Cue: Who Let The Dogs Out? - Lettttsssss get ready to rummmmmblllll. Mix in some mud and a little baby oil... wait, I do believe I just came up w/my next s.p. idea. Thanks!

''No one is as arrogant as a beginner.'' -Elizabeth Ashley

Or as self-destructive.

"'No one is as arrogant as a beginner.' -Elizabeth Ashley"

''No one is more arrogant toward women, more aggressive or scornful, than the man who is anxious about his virility'' Simone de Beauvoir

"I'm short and fat and proud of that." Winnie the Pooh. I dare you to one-up that quote.

"Or as self-destructive."

"My life has been one great big joke, A dance that's walked, A song that's spoke, I laugh so hard I almost choke, When I think about myself." ~Maya Angelou

"Damn I love this website! Cue: Who Let The Dogs Out? - Lettttsssss get ready to rummmmmblllll. Mix in some mud and a little baby oil... wait, I do believe I just came up w/my next s.p. idea. Thanks!"

Throw in some jello, and you have yourself a slam-dunk.

I agree with Irin.

But most people on this board have gotten so angry with Creative Screenwriting on not only how they run their contests but their Expo as well, they completely avoid them now.

You would think Donovan would get the hint.

Don

As you probably know, Lara, there's always, always room for Jello. Especially Jello shots!

"As you probably know, Lara, there's always, always room for Jello. Especially Jello shots!"

It is, after all, how deals are made.

'"I'm short and fat and proud of that." Winnie the Pooh. I dare you to one-up that quote."

''It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn't use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like "What about lunch?"'' Winnie the Pooh

Is it me, or is there an echo in this chat-room?

Its you Michael.

"Is it me, or is there an echo in this chat-room?"

Well, you dared me...

It's quite unfortunate, because CS publishes CS - 1/2 of the 2 American publications devoted to the screenwriter. Neither of them have anything remotely informative to add to the planet. Ever since Final Draft snapped up Script, it's quality has tumbled down into the toilet. Replacing the West Coast editor? Please. The old scr(i)pt at least had heart - and brains. The new one? It's the screenwriting world's version of Tiger Beat.

I miss Tiger Beat. Leaf Garrett, Shawn Cassidy, Susan Dey... By the way did anyone hear that Gary Coleman died of a different STROKE? I know, tastless...

Looks like somebody got up on the wrong side of the bed. -dfettucini'

Looks like somebody got a bad cup of joe. -dfettucini

Looks like sombody had a bad hair day. -dfettucini

Looke like somebody stayed out late last nite. -dfettucini

I dare you to re-write that. -clint eastwood

I dare you to re-write that. -clint eastwood

I dare you to re-write that. -clint eastwood

Go ahead make our day. -pee wee herman

Go ahead make our day. -pee wee herman

James, pretty f'n funny.

I want a good fettucini alfredo. I want a bottle of fettucine, a 1981.

Are you quoting someone, or just hungry and thirsty?

Not only did he stiff you, he STIFFED my sister real good as well. He promised her a pair of jimmy cho's. If I see that beeee on the street!!!

The Creative Screenwriting Cyberspace Open Spring 2010 Proudly Congratulates Our Top Three: Ian Murillo 95.14 Dries Coomans 94.85 Lisa Scott 94.43 Ian, Dries and Lisa, your scenes will be performed by actors in staged readings which we will videotape and put up on the web for everyone to vote on the winner! We will notify everyone via e-mail or newsletter when the scenes are online and ready to be voted on.

Honorable mention must go to Diane Lisa Johnson, whose scene missed the top 3 by a hair (94.42.) How We Tabulated The Top Scores: Each scene in Round 2 was read and scored by a reader from Coverage, Ink. The top twelve scoring scenes were then circulated to the entire team. Seven readers read and gave a numerical grade to each of the top twelve scenes. The winners were determined by averaging the scores. Because of this, in some cases, some folks scored higher from the individual judge but lower in the aggregate, while for others the reverse was true. But in the end, the three scenes selected were the ones the team all agreed were the best of the best. Congratulations to the remainder of our top twelve for dishing out some truly killer writing: Tim Harding 94.28 Philip Schneider 94.28 Walter Thompson 93.86 Erik Fetler 93.71 Crystal Ann Taylor 93.71 Marcys Leary 93.57 Rich Frost 93.42 Kimberly Nunley 92.85 Thanks again, everyone! We hope you all had a blast participating! P.S. Genre prize winners (and runners up) will be hearing from us shortly with regards to how to claim your prizes.

Geez, I think you all need to take a chill pill. As to missed deadlines and unanswered e-mails, I think it would an A-bomb to annihilate all the offenders. Anyone who wants to be a writer, besides learning how to write!, needs a thick skin and the patience of Job.

Damn, you just reminded me, I never returned Jobs call!

Best quote to bear in mind: A professional writer is just an amateur that didn't give up!

And can I have some of the $5.5m that they wasted making an original version of Robin Hood bland!

Cheers,

Mike

"I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal labotomy"

why would they extend contests? It clearly drives people nuts. they should just start a new competition. more winners.

Is it just for the extra $5.00 on the late entries?

I personally know of more than one case where results were postponed because a judge was late turning in his/her batch of scores. It's easy to blame the organizers but most likely they're simply doing the best they can with what they've got.

Delays are frustrating for everyone and the last thing a contest contestant should be doing is bitching about that comp on a public board like this before results are announced. If an organizer reads a derogatory post, it could very well prejudice the decision process.

Congrats to the WINNERS!

About half of all contests are late with results. Part of the process and, as someone just mentioned, not always in the hands of the contest administrators.

I won a genre prize last year from a Creative Screenwriting contest. Money came promptly ($2,000) and the check cleared the bank. Hardly a scam. Posting false accusations on a public board reflects poorly on the poster.

Many newbie writers adopt the commando Joe Eszerhas approach. Do that AFTER you've had success. Otherwise you're just another annoying wannabe that people don't want to be in business with. Save the conflict for your scripts. My .02.

has CS's rep gone that far downhill after Bill took over??

I know (and like) both Erik and Bill and luv EXPO...I hate to see that people's opinions of CS, CS Open and EXPO have slid so far!!

:(

prob see some of y'all at EXPO

You can see more opinions of Bill and CS on Done Deal Pro. I know people were pissed after that "editorial" that revealed the entire plot, twists, ending for that horror movie on the ski lift.

Cameron,

Don't know when Bill took over but I was at a screenwriting conference last year and everyone was rolling their eyes at the mention of Expo.

Among the complaints:

1. Too expensive 2. Badly disorganized 3. Very little success

Don

Creative Screenwriting is a business and their marketing targets are those that want to become writers. Writers are notorious for being naive and gullible, because they're pursuing their creative dream. CS understands their targeting market and is in business to make money. As much money as they can!

I learned about CS after experiencing the Expo a couple of years ago, and I remember there are a few other screenplay contests run by CS as well (but I can't remember their names).

Yes, they may offer cash prizes and have a history of their checks clearing: but I'm not interested in entering CS or their affiliate's business ventures for a cash prize.

Always remember that a contest is only a scam if you let them steal your money. Learn from your mistakes and you'll learn to recognize companies that are in the business to make money: as much money as they can!